Machine for cleaning vegetable fiber.



100.790.307. PATBNTED MAYz0,1005. J. H. MOGAULEY 6r E. M. WINFREY. n

MACHINE FOR GLEANING'VEGETABLE FIBER.

' APPLIOATION HLBDVMAR. 24, 1904. a

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Wnfre www@ I l PATENTED MAY 2a, i905.,

J. H, MOUAULEY VME. M. WINPRBY.. MACHINE POR CLEAN-ING VEGBTABLE FIBER.

l APPLIGATIQN. E'ILBD 11.511.124, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MCOAULEY AND EDGAR M. VINFREY, OF WICHITA FALLS,

A TEXAS.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING VEGETABLE FIBER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,307, dated May 23,1905.

' Application filed March 24, 1904. Serial No., 199,889.

To a/ZZ when@ t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. MGCAULEY and EDGAR M. WINFEEY,citiZens ofthe United vof Wichita and State of Texas, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Vegetable Fiber; and we dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for cleaningvegetable fibers.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine'of this character inwhich the fibers of the leaves and stalks of fiber-producing plants maybe combed out and cleaned.

A further object' is to provide means for feeding the material to thecleaning mechan-` ism and also means for clearing said cleaningmechanism of particles of pulp and bark that may adhere thereto.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction,combination,and arrangement of parts, aswill be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of themachine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one end of the'same. Fig. 3 is asimilar view of the opposite end. Fig. 4 is a central verticallongitudinal sectional view of the machine. Fig. 5l is a detail verticallongitudinal sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing themechanism for actuating the feed-rolls.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a frame orsupport for the machine, consisting of a pair of uprights or standards2, connected together at their lower ends 'by a cross-bar 3. In' theupper end of the same are secured bearing-boxes 4, in whichis mounted ashaft 5. On said shaft, between the standards, is fixed a broad-rimmedwheel or drum 6, on the periphery of which is secured a series ofltransversely-arranged combs 7, which are yspaced apart at suitableintervals around the same.

The combs 7 may be secured to the rim of the wheel or drum in anysuitable manner, but are preferably bolted to the same, as shown. Theteeth of said combs project outwardly and are slightly curved.

On the frame of the machine is secured a segmental shell or casting,forming a concave or shoe 8. Said concave is arranged on the forwardside of the frame and in such position that the wheel or drum will turntherein, the combs on said drum just clearing the inner side of thecurved wall of the same. In said curved wall are formed three horizontaltransversely-disposed slots 9, 10, and 11, the purpose-of which will behereinafter described.

On the upper end of the standards are formed forwardly and rearwardlyprojecting arms or brackets 12 and 13. To the forward brackets 12 arebolted vertically -disposed bearingplates 14. Between said plates arearranged a pair of rubber feed-rolls 15 and 16. The shaft of the upperroll 15 is journaled in the f upper end of said plates, while the shaftof the lower roll 16 is journaled in boxes 17, which are adjustablymountedin slots 18, formed in the lower portion of the plates. The boxes17 'are normally forced upward to hold the lower roll 16 in engagementwith the upper roll 15 by coiled springs 19, which are confined in saidslots between the lower end of the boxes and a plate or bar 20.Set-screws 21 are arranged in the lower ends of the plates 14, the upperends of said screws engaging the under side of 'said plate or bar 20,whereby when the screws are turned said plate will be raised or loweredto adjust the tension ofv the springs 19, thereby causing the lower roll16 to more or less tightly engage the upper roll 15.

In order that the bottom roll 16 may be lowered to form a space tofacilitate the ad.

is fiXedly mounted a ratchet-wheel 25, and on the outer end of saidshaft, adjacent to said wheel, is loosely mounted a lever 26. On theupper end of said lever is pivotally mounted a pawl or dog 27, which isadapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet-wheel. To the lower end ofthe lever 26 is pivotally connected a pitman-rod 28, the opposite end ofwhich is connected to an Aeccentric-strap 29, which passes around aneccentric-disk 30, fixed on the shaft 5, so that when said shaft isturned the eccentric will reciprocatel said pitman-rod and cause thesame to rock the lever 26, thereby engaging the pawl 27 with the teethon the ratchet-wheel and turning said wheel with an intermittentmovement which is imparted to the feed-roll 15, as will be understood.

The lower end of the lever 26 is provided with a series of holes 31,whereby the end of the pitman-rod 28 may be adjustably connected theretoto rock said lever to a greater or less degree, thereby increasing ordiminishing the movement of the ratchet-wheel to cause more or lessmaterial to be fed into the machine at each turn of the feed-rolls.

In the lower portion of the bearing-plates 14 is mounted a brush 32, thebristles of which are adapted to project through the slot l11 in theconcave to hold the fiber close to and in position to be engaged byteeth of the combs as they pass around through the concave.

Below the drum or wheel 6 is arranged a eylindrieal brush 33, which isrotatably mounted in boxes 34, adjustably secured to the standards 2 bybolts 34, which pass through said standards and through slots in saidblocks and receive clamping-nuts, which when loosened will permit theblocks and brush mounted therein to be adjusted. This brush is for thepurpose of cleaning the teeth of the combs on the drum and is adapted tobe driven in a direction opposite to the rotation of said drum by meansof a small pulley 35, fiXed on the outer end of the shaft, said pulleybeing connected by a cross-belt 37 with a large drivepulley 36, fixed onthe end of the main driveshaft.

On the lower forward side of the machine is arranged a pair of rubberdelivery-rolls 38, which are similar in construction to and are drivenat the same rate of speed as the feedrolls. The shafts or journals ofthe deliveryrolls are mounted in bearing-brackets 39, secured to theforward side of the standards. On the end of the shaft or journal of oneof said rolls is fixed a pulley 40, which is connected by a belt 41 witha pulley 42, fixed on the end of the feed-roll shaft on which theratchet-wheel 25 is mounted, so that the motion of the feed-rolls isimparted to the delivery-rolls to cause the same to deliver the cleanedfiber at the same rate of speed that the leaves or stalks are fed intothe machine by the feed-rolls.

On the end of the main drive-shaft opposite to that on which the pulley36 is fixed are mounted loose and fixed drive-pulleys 42 and 43, withwhich may be connected a belt to drive said shaft.

To separate and clean the fibersfrom leaves or stalks, the ends of thesame are inserted between the feed-rolls, which will feed said end intothe central slot 10, where it is engaged by the combs on thcdrum, whichcoact with the inner side of the curved wall of' the concave to comb andclean the fiber as the same is fed into the machine. 'lhe drum 6 and thebrush 33 rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, thecombs 7 carrying the fibers downward. The first ends of the fiberstreated may be led by hand between the discharge-rolls 38, and after thefibers have been thus started they will continue to feed between saidrolls during the operation of the machine. rIhe brush 32 entering thelower slot 11 holds said fiber out iu position to be engaged by theteeth of the combs.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction maybe resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination of a revoluble drumhaving peripheral combs, a concave on one side of' the druniand havingopenings 9, 10 and 11, feed-rollers arranged opposite the opening 10 anda brush extending through the opening 11, substantially as described.

2. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination with a supiiorting-frameof a driveshaft mounted thereon, awheel or drum fixed on said shaft,combs secured to said drum, a concave arranged on said frame to coactwith said combs, feed-rolls arranged on said frame adjacent to saidconcave, one of said rolls being journaled in slidably-mounted boxes,springs arranged beneath said boxes to normally hold said movable rollin engagement with said stationary roll, means for adjusting the tensionof said springs, and means for holding said movable roll out ofengagement with said slationary roll, against the tension of saidsprings, substantially as described.

3. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination with a supporting-frameof a driveshaft mounted thereon, a wheel or drum fixed on said shaft,combs secured to said drum, a concave arranged on said frame to coactwith said combs, a pair ofl feed-rolls mounted on IOO ilO

said frame, a ratchet-wheel Xed on one of said shafts. a-lever looselymounted on the end of said shaft, a pawl carried by the upper end ofsaid lever to engage the teeth of said ratchetwheel, a pitman-rodadjustably connected at one end to the lower end of said lever, andconnected at its opposite end to an eccentric fixed on thedrive-shaft ofthe machine, wherebyan intermittent movement is given to said rolls,substantially as described.

4. In a fiber-cleaning machine,v the combination with a supporting-frameof a driveshaft mounted thereon, a wheel or drum iiXed on said shaft,combs secured to said drum, a concave arranged on Said frame to coactwith said combs, a pair of feed-rolls mounted on said frame, aratchet-wheel iixed on one of said Shafts.l a lever loosely mounted onthe end of said shaft, a pawl carried by the upper end of said lever toengage the teeth of said ratchet- Wheel, a pitman-rod adjustablyconnected at one end to the lower end of said lever, and connected atits opposite end to an eccentric fixed on the drive-shaft of themachine, whereby an intermittent movement is given to said rolls, a pairof delivery-rolls mounted on said frame, a pulley liXed on the shaft ofone of said rolls, a belt connecting said pulley with a similar pulleyfixed on the end of said feedroll shaft, whereby the movement of saidfeedrolls will be communicated to said deliveryrolls, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we have 'hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. i

JOHN H. MCGAULEY. EDGAR M. WINFREY. Witnesses:

P. P. LANGFORD, C. W. HENDRIcKs.

